2011 DODGE DAKOTA Owners Manual

WARNING!
Do not adjust the steering column while driving.
Adjusting the steering column while driving or driv-
ing with the steering column unlocked, could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Be sure the
steering column is locked before driving your ve-
hicle. Failure to follow this warning may result in
serious injury or death.
ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL — IF EQUIPPED
The control buttons for the Electronic Speed Control are
located on the steering wheel. When engaged, the Elec-
tronic Speed Control takes over the accelerator operation
at speeds greater than 25 mph (40 km/h).Electronic Speed Control Buttons
1 — Resume4 — Set
2 — Cancel 5 — On/Off
3 — Decel
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 143

NOTE:In order to ensure proper operation, the Elec-
tronic Speed Control System has been designed to shut
down if multiple Speed Control functions are operated at
the same time. If this occurs, the Electronic Speed Control
System can be reactivated by pushing the Electronic
Speed Control ON/OFF button and resetting the desired
vehicle set speed.
To Activate
Push the ON/OFF button to the ON position. In the
instrument cluster, the word “CRUISE” illuminates to
indicate that the system is on.
To Set A Desired Speed
Turn the Electronic Speed Control ON. When the vehicle
has reached the desired speed, press and release the SET
button. Release the accelerator and the vehicle will
operate at the selected speed.
To Deactivate
A soft tap on the brake pedal, normal braking, or pressing
the CANCEL button will deactivate the speed control
without erasing the memory. Pushing the ON/OFF but-
ton to the OFF position or turning off the ignition erases
the memory.
WARNING!
Leaving the Electronic Speed Control ON when not
in use is dangerous. You could accidentally set the
Electronic Speed Control to cause it to go faster than
you want. You could lose control and have an acci-
dent. Always leave the system OFF when you are not
using it.
To Resume Speed
To resume a previously set speed, push and release the
RESUME button. Resume can be used at any speed above
20 mph (32 km/h).
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To Vary The Speed Setting
When the Electronic Speed Control System is ON, the
speed can be increased by pressing and holding the
RESUME/ACCEL button. When the button is released, a
new set speed will be established.
Tapping the ACCEL button once will result ina1mph
(2 km/h) increase in set speed. Each subsequent tap of
the button results in an increase of 1 mph (2 km/h).
Tapping the DECEL button once will result in a speed
decrease of 1 mph (2 km/h). Each time the button is
tapped, speed will decrease. For example, tapping the
button three times will decrease the speed by 3 mph
(4.8 km/h).
Tapping the DECEL button once will result ina1mph
(2 km/h) decrease in set speed. Each subsequent tap of
the button results in a decrease of 1 mph (2 km/h).
To Accelerate For Passing
Press the accelerator as you would normally. When the
pedal is released, the vehicle will return to the set speed.
NOTE:When driving uphill, at elevations above 2,000 ft
(610 m), or when the vehicle is heavily loaded (especially
when towing) the vehicle may slow below the SET speed.
If the vehicle speed drops below 25 mph (40 km/h), the
Electronic Speed Control will automatically disengage. If
this happens, you can push down on the accelerator
pedal to maintain the desired speed.
Vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission may
exhibit several downshifts under the above conditions.
To reduce the frequency of the downshifts and to im-
prove vehicle performance, it is advisable to lock out
OVERDRIVE by pressing the TOW/HAUL button lo-
cated at the end of the shift lever.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 145

WARNING!
Electronic Speed Control can be dangerous where the
system cannot maintain a constant speed. Your ve-
hicle could go too fast for the conditions, and you
could lose control and have an accident. Do not use
Electronic Speed Control in heavy traffic or on roads
that are winding, icy, snow-covered or slippery.
OVERHEAD CONSOLE
The overhead console has the following features:
•Courtesy Lights
•Garage Door Opener — If Equipped
Overhead Console
146 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

•Compass/Temperature Mini-Trip Computer — If
Equipped
Courtesy/Reading Lights
Near the front of the console are two courtesy/reading
lights.
Both lights illuminate as courtesy lights when a door is
opened, when the dimmer control is rotated to the
courtesy light position (fully upward position), or when
the UNLOCK button is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter, if equipped. These lights are also
operated individually as reading lights by pressing the
recessed area of the corresponding lens.NOTE:
The courtesy/reading lights will remain on until
the switch is pressed a second time, so be sure they have
been turned off before leaving the vehicle. If the interior
lights are left on after the vehicle is turned OFF, they will
extinguish after approximately 10 minutes.
COMPASS/TEMPERATURE MINI-TRIP COMPUTER
This feature allows you to choose between a compass/
temperature display and one of four trip conditions being
monitored.
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 147

US/M Button
Use the US/M button to change the display from U.S. to
metric measurement units.
RESET Button
Use the RESET button to reset the following displays:
•Average Fuel Economy
•Trip Odometer
•Elapsed time.
US/M Button
RESET Button
148 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

STEP Button
Use the STEP button to choose, or cycle through, the four
trip conditions.
Average Fuel Economy (AVG ECO)
Displays the average fuel economy since the last reset.
Average fuel economy is a running average of the
amount of fuel used and the distance the vehicle has
traveled. When the fuel economy is reset, the display will
momentarily blank, the history will be erased, and the
AVERAGE WILL CONTINUE FROM WHERE IT WAS
BEFORE THE RESET. The reset value is based on a
minimal amount of fuel used and the distance traveled
from the previous drive cycle. The display may take
several miles/kilometers for this value to change, de-
pending upon driving habits.
Distance To Empty (DTE)
Shows the estimated distance that can be traveled with
the fuel remaining in the tank. The estimated distance is
determined by a weighted average of the instantaneous
and average fuel economy, according to the current fuel
tank level.
STEP Button
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UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 149

NOTE:The DTE is not resettable.
When Distance To Empty = LOW FUEL, the fuel gauge
pointer will initially be on the red “E” marker. At this
point (fuel gauge pointer on the red “E” marker), there is
reserve fuel capacity, which corresponds to approxi-
mately 8% of tank volume. This reserve capacity was put
in place to prevent the likelihood of customers running
out of fuel when operating at maximum load conditions
in areas where there aren’t many gas stations.
NOTE: The Distance To Empty will remain equal to zero
until the vehicle runs out of fuel or is refueled.
Trip Odometer (ODO)
This display shows the distance traveled since the last
reset.
NOTE: The maximum value is approximately
6000 miles (9656 km). Resetting of this screen will cause the trip odometer to
change to zero. Then the trip odometer must be reset in
order to update the trip odometer miles.
Elapsed Time (ET)
This display shows the accumulated ignition ON time
since the last reset. Resetting the Elapsed Time will cause
the display to change to zero.
C/T Button
Use the C/T (Compass/Temperature) button to select a
readout of the outside temperature and one of eight
compass headings that indicate the direction in which the
vehicle is facing.
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